How often do you change your Elixers?

[Boogie Bill]

Re: How often do you change your Elixers?

I was introduced to Elixirs when I bought my Taylor 710CE. I gave up on them for several reasons. The Elixirs have higher tension than same-gauge D'Addarios, and I was breaking them. The D'Addarios simply sounded better. They cost less, and the EXPs lasted just as long.

The reality for me is that I play hard and the strings get divots in them. So about 20 to 25 hours of sofa playtime, or 15 to 20 hours of gig time is about the maximum I can get out of a set, coated or uncoated.

Bill

[NegativeEase]

Re: How often do you change your Elixers?

Wow. It takes me 1-1/2 minutes to get the first string off.

Tell me about it.

Funny aside. I flew up for a friends show in NYC last year at a big venue -them opening for a legendary band on a tour -so it was a big deal for him to support this band for several weeks on the east coast leg. Anyways, they were touring as the opener without a guitar tech to save money, and just having multiple guitars ready during the show and borrowing the guitar tech of the headlining band between shows if they needed something big.

So when I came up, he was like "-cool you can be my guitar tech tonight"

Anyways -most of the set complete, it's going really well -place is sold out and they are having a great time -he breaks a string on his guitar and passes the guitar to me between songs -as I pass him another one ready to go and he whispers "I gotta have this guitar back for the next song man, these other guitars won't work for it"

So, I know it's only one string, but we hadn't plan to change any strings during the show and it was one of those clubs where you can see the side stage in full detail. So in under 3:00 minutes, I had to scramble through several guitar cases and amp cases to find a B string and then change it, stretch it, tune it up several times -which while everyones being entertained by my panic -just isn't that easy.

It must of looked like a combination of Benny Hill and the Swedish Chef on the muppets to the crowd -but I made it with seconds to spare -sweating bullets -and after the show several random people complimented me on the fast action -as they could tell we were scrambling in unplanned fashion.

[NegativeEase]

Re: How often do you change your Elixers?

I know a local gigging guy (hair metal style, so lots of whammy solos) who changes them every 3rd show. He likes that his tone never changes at all.

I use balls or boomers, depending on the guitar/pickups. I like the tone best after an hour or two,,,,,,and they're good for a few more at least.

Realistically, and noticeably the tone on a string changes continually the moment you put tension on it until you remove it. -so I'm sure you really meant that you like your tone within a certain newer brighter acceptable range and were just oversimplifying it -as players who want the maximum new and bright, pre moisture, pre bending a few dozen times tone to avoid softening of the the attack and a bright sustain type of string age are the guys you see their tech changing the strings after only a few songs -which is madness to me.

I toured with another band in 1998 that had a tech changing strings on each guitar 2-3 times each set -and the guitarist had 4-5 guitars to cycle through in the set.... it was absolute insanity -but the girl guitar tech was the fastest string changer in history -she could do 6 strings loaded on, pre stretched, tuned up and checked and back in the case or on the stand in 1 to 1 and a half minutes total -I suspect she's a legend in certain roadie circles now. I'd like to know where she is now honestly.

[GreatOz]

Re: How often do you change your Elixers?

I play live at least once every week in addition to band rehearsal for the Church Worship Team, in addition to practice (but mostly noodling) at home for several hours a week and typically change mine about every 3 to 4 months, sometimes as long as 6 months. In my opinion, they aren't the "best" sounding strings I've played, but they're always at least "good" for me. Main reason I get Elixirs is for the fact that they stay sounding good for that long; I despise changing strings on top of being lazy, so I just get strings I don't have to change often. They also don't really corrode very much if at all during that time frame.

[AniML]

Re: How often do you change your Elixers?

The D'add XTs were just too shrill and thin. Swapped them for a set of Martin Lifespan. I never tried them on a Taylor before and they are awesome.

[GuitarStv]

Re: How often do you change your Elixers?

Isn't that more commonly called breaking them in

I hate that new string "zing "

I seem to sweat battery acid, so shot = rough feeling with visible tarnished black patches . . . enough that it's hard to slide on them. :P

[dave74]

Re: How often do you change your Elixers?

I know a local gigging guy (hair metal style, so lots of whammy solos) who changes them every 3rd show. He likes that his tone never changes at all.

I use balls or boomers, depending on the guitar/pickups. I like the tone best after an hour or two,,,,,,and they're good for a few more at least.

[Jacew]

Re: How often do you change your Elixers?

(and uncoated are pretty much shot after 2-3 plays).

Isn't that more commonly called breaking them in

I hate that new string "zing "

[WTFovahagain.]

Re: How often do you change your Elixers?

In all honesty, the only time I use Elixirs is when I'm going to sell a guitar. I put them on when I post a sale, and leave them on... at that point I've "divorced" myself from the guitar. I also throw a set in the case for the sale. It's funny how a few cheap sets of strings for $3 each from wishdot sells a guitar. Personally, I hate them, they have those little "hairs" that form on where the frets are. Where I live, they cost about $16 a set, in a country where the min wage is less than $5 per hour. I change my super slinky strings at least once a week

[PFDarkside]

Re: How often do you change your Elixers?

I’ve moved to Optiweb, brighter than Nanoweb.

[NegativeEase]

Re: How often do you change your Elixers?

I have exclusively used elixirs on my electrics for almost 20 years now. Any other brand of coated string seems to go dead in less than 1/3 the time (and uncoated are pretty much shot after 2-3 plays).

For me, I pull up the high e string and check underneath. You'll see when the strings are going bad that they get tarnished spots under the part of the string that goes over your frets. I can get away with about two months of daily play (maybe an hour?) this way. If I'm not recording or playing out with the guitar, I can leave 'em on for a couple months more but they definately start to sound funny.

I should have mentioned in my post that Elixirs still are the longest lasting of the big 3

[GuitarStv]

Re: How often do you change your Elixers?

I have exclusively used elixirs on my electrics for almost 20 years now. Any other brand of coated string seems to go dead in less than 1/3 the time (and uncoated are pretty much shot after 2-3 plays).

For me, I pull up the high e string and check underneath. You'll see when the strings are going bad that they get tarnished spots under the part of the string that goes over your frets. I can get away with about two months of daily play (maybe an hour?) this way. If I'm not recording or playing out with the guitar, I can leave 'em on for a couple months more but they definately start to sound funny.

[dystrust]

Re: How often do you change your Elixers?

I used to use Elixirs, but switched to DR Dragon Skins / Black Beauties a few years ago. I change them when they won't hold tune or when they start to sound noticeably dull, whichever happens first. On guitars that I don't play much they can last for a year or more, whereas with heavier use it's more like 3-4 months.

[NegativeEase]

Re: How often do you change your Elixers?

D'adarrio EXP and Xts sound better than Elixirs (but Elixirs sound pretty good though) and their teflon style application doesn't get crappy like Elixirs are known to do.

Stay away from Ernie Ball/Dunlop Everlasts -they sound super tinny and terrible.

[Jacew]

Re: How often do you change your Elixers?

Curt Mangans I use last about 2-3 months usually. More in less played guitars. NYXL's lasted noticeably longer, and broke in much quicker, so I think that balajces out higher price.

Usually I just change strings when I notice my sound have come dull.

I've tried Elixirs in shop guitars couple of times and hated them. They felt thick and somehow sticky under my fingers.